Game apparatus.



W. A. HAMILTON. GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED N'ov.1, 1909.

974,661, Patented Nov..1,191o.

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THE NaRRls PETERS co., wasmnmrorv. n.

W'I'LLAM A, HAMILTON, or Mini VALLEY, cALFoRNrA, Assieuon or cua-HALF To EDYTH c. WALTER, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM A. HAMIL- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mill Valley, in the county of Marin and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to game apparatus, and pertains especially to a pleasing aud novel game and game-board employing the so-called Mexican jumping beans, or equivalent devices having inherent powers of locomotion or movement.

The invention' consists of the parte and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan. Fig. 2 is a central transverse section.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a game-board A made of cardboard or other suitable material, of suitable size and shape, preferably about nine inches square. The size and shape, however, are immaterial. The surface of this board is intended to represent a lawn or field, and I use a series oi so-called jumping beans, represented at 2; these beans having the peculiar capability. under the action of light and heat, of umping, this jumping usually being manifested in a more or less continuous direction. One or more of these beans are placed in the cen ter of the board, or lawn, or field, and may be considered to represent a gopher or other animal, and the sport lies in observing the eorts of the animal to escape outside the borders of the board, lawn, or field, or to be entrapped, all as will be, shortly explained. These beans which I employ are usually sector-shaped in cross-section, each bean iuclosing a grub or worm, and it is the spa-smodic movements of this worm within the bean, under the agency of heat and light, which cause the so-ealled jumping of the bean.

The board A for the purposes of the game is divided oii in the following manner: In the center of the board is an area represented by the circle 3 which is the starting point for all the pieces. This circular area 3 is arranged centrally of a rectangular area 4, the sides of which are approximately two inches long. This square is the center of a cross with four arms differently colored Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1, 1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

serial No. 525,629.

to make the board more attractive and to better designate the fields in which the pieces are located, and represented respectively by the square areas 5, 6, 7 and S. The area 5 may be in green, (3 in red, 7 in blue,

'and S in yellow. The triangular areas 9,

10, 11 and 12 between the several squares 5-6-7-8 and the boundary lines 13 of the field are also marked and differently colored; thus, 9 being shown in yellow, 10 in green, 1l in red, and 12 in blue. If desired, the corner areas 14 may also be colored. At suitable places on the surface of the board or field are arranged pockets 15, 16, 17 and 18, into which the piece in its efforts to escape will jump, and these pockets will represent different values in the score according to the distance or position that the par ticular pocket is from the center area 3. Thus the pockets at the corners of the center square 4L would be valued at ten, the pockets 16 at the centers of the areas 5, (i, T and 8 might be valued at twenty, the pockets 17 in the triangular areas 9, 10, 11 and 12 might represent fifty, and the extreme corner pockets 18 in the triangular areas 11 might represent one hundred. At suitable points between these pockets are certain markings represented by the colored squares 19 which indicate tra-ps, and it is fatal for one of the pieces to be caught in a trap, according t0 the rules of the game.

The actual rules as promulgated for the game may be as follows:

1. Each player is entitled to one piece, selecting his color.

12. Place pieces on starting point or circ e 3.

3. When pieces jump into any of the holes 15-16-1718, players are entitled to the value designated over the holes. Replace piece on the starting point each time on removing from hole.

4. Play until each piece has made three holes or escaped three times from lawn. The border 13 is the boundary of the lawn.

5. Pieces moving from color to color score five points each time.

6. Pieces esca-ping from lawn are entitled to eighty points.

7 When pieces touch traps 19 deduct five points.

8. Pieces must not be touched after placing upon the starting point or circle 3.

Many varied and interesting combinations of the game can be arranged to suit the players, making it doubly fascinating. Study the style, character and disposition of each piece, encouraging it in its efforts to reach the pockets or escape from the lawn. Pieces are more active7 happy and responsive under a warm bright light, such as a table lamp, electric bulb, or sunshine. If held between the thumb and forenger for a few moments before placing on the lawn, the pieces will become greatly invigorated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. An improved game apparatus comprising a board with piece-retaining pockets, and pieces having inherent powers of locomotion for automatically and spasmodically directing the pieces over the board.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having a deiined starting point, and pieces let/'geel movable automatically and spasmodically over the board, said board having means arranged in the course of the pieces by y which said pieces are entrapped.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board divided off into areas of different colors, said board having a central starting point, piece-retaining pockets in the board7 said board having representations of traps at suitable intervals between the pockets, and a game piece possessing means for inducing automatic and spasmodic movement of the pieces over said board.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. HAMILTON.

Witnesses JOHN P. Roon, E. J. I-IoorER. 

